The beloved ramen noodle dish, in its umami-rich broth, is cheap and incredibly satisfying. We tapped Brian Macduckston, author of Brian’s Guide to 50 Great Tokyo Ramen Shops and the latest addition to Palace Hotel Tokyo’s foodie guides, for insight into the best (and most unusual) places to try this tasty dish.

1. En

En is a classic, though a bit far from central Tokyo. Their niboshi (dried sardines)-rich soup is a great take on a classic style.

Model Chrissy Teigen visited the establishment while in Tokyo and absolutely loved it too!

5. Hototogisu

This shop has become a sleeper hit with chefs from overseas. It’s not surprising as they have been one of the most popular back-alley shops in Tokyo for 10 years. The secret is clam in the soup, which gives it more umami.

9. Ajito Ism

Pizza-inspired mazesoba (dry ramen). Despite sounding strange, everything in this bowl works wonderfully. Mix it all up and enjoy.

Where: Oi 1-41-1, Shinagawa-ku (closest subway station: Oimachi)

10. Papapapapine

Pineapple-infused ramen. The soup has pineapple juice, the egg is soaked in pineapple, and pineapple chunks are a topping. The sweetness complements the soy sauce flavouring quite well, although it’s definitely not for everyone.

11. Bassanova

They’ve opened a shop in New York, but the original is still a lot of fun. Everything on the menu is good, but the green curry ramen is the one to get. A little spicy, a little creamy, and a lot of umami aftertaste.